The present invention relates to sulfur modified cements used as a lining material for concrete structures, especially sewage conduits fabricated from conventional concrete compositions.
Recently there has developed an oversupply of elemental sulfur due to increased use of pollution abatement systems which remove SO.sub.2 from stack gases. As a result research efforts have been devoted to finding new uses for elemental sulfur especially in areas where energy intensive materials can be replaced.
One area that has gained considerable attention is the manufacture and use of sulfur concrete. Sulfur concretes are basically made by mixing sulfur with certain additives (e.g. mineral aggregates and binders). The resulting product is characterized by high strength and excellent resistance to corrosive materials such as inorganic acids and salts (see generally, Sulfur Research and Development, Volume 2, 1979).
One of the major problems associated with sulfur concretes is their lack of durability and the difficulty in controlling production of the final product. An attempt to overcome this problem is disclosed in Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations, RI8545, 1981. DCPD (dicyclopentadiene) is combined with an oligomer of cyclopentadiene (CPD) to provide a binder which controls the exothermic reaction of DCPD and sulfur resulting in a durable product under controlled conditions. Also disclosed in this reference is the use of aggregate materials such as limestone, quartz and silica and glass fibers having a length up to 1/4 inch.
Another problem with sulfur concretes is their high cost. Under present conditions, sulfur concrete will cost about 30% to 100% more than comparable Portland Cement concretes.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lining material for concrete structures which is durable and highly resistant to corrosive materials and is less expensive to use than sulfur concrete.